Easy opening container wall

ABSTRACT

An easy opening container wall comprising a container wall of sheet material, a line of weakness in the container wall defining a tear portion, and a tab including an attachment portion and a tab body joined to the attachment portion. The attachment portion is attached to the tear portion so that the tab can be manipulated to initiate rupture of the sheet material along the line of weakness. A zone of the container is formed in close proximity to a segment of the peripheral edge of the attachment portion and cooperates therewith to retain the tab against pivotal movement about its point of attachment to the tear portion.

United States Patent Brown Jan. 1, 1974 EASY OPENING CONTAINER WALLPrima ExaminerGeor e T. Hall 75 lnvento Omar L. Br K tt Oh ry g 1 r 8enng Att0rneyG0rd0n L. Peterson et al. [73] Assignee: Ermal C. Fraze,Dayton, Ohio 22 Filed: Oct. 28, 1971 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 193,437I An easy opening container wall comprising a con- Related U S A cationData tainer wall of sheet material, a line of weakness in the ppcontainer wall defining a tear portion, and a tab in- [63] cmmuatomnpartof 64,291 eluding an attachment portion and a tab body joined 1970' tothe attachment portion. The attachment portion is attached to the tearportion so that the tab can be manipulated to initiate rupture of theSheet material 27 48 53 along the line of weakness. A zone of thecontainer is 0 earc formed in close proximity to a segment of theperipheral edge of the attachment portion and cooperates [56] ReferencesCited therewith to retain the tab against pivotal movement UNITED STATESPATENTS about its point of attachment to the tear portion. 3,593,8777/1971 Khoury 220/54 r 3,606,076 9/1971 Hanke et al. 220/54 2 Clam, 5Drawmg Flgures PATENTED JAN 1 I974 SHEET 2 BF 2 EASY OPENING CONTAINERWALL REFERENCE TO COPENDING APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-partof application Ser. No. 64,291, filed on Aug. 17, 1970, entitled EasyOpening Container Wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An easy opening container wall typicallyincludes a container wall of sheet material, a line of weakness in 1 thecontainer wall defining a tear portion at least partured easily. Forexample, in front opening container walls, the tab is operative to bearagainst a region of the container wall closely adjacent the line ofweakness to depress a region of the tear portion into the container. Tofacilitate rupture of the sheet material, it is important that therupturing end of the tab bear against a preselected location on thecontainer wall such as on the line of weakness.

One problem is that the tab can pivot generally in the plane of the tabto move the rupturing end away from the preselected location. Typically,the tab is attached to the tear portion by a rivet which clamps the tabagainst the container wall. Although the rivet ordinarily restrains thetab against pivotal movement, it does not positively lock the tabagainst pivotal movement. Accordingly, the tab may, inadvertently orotherwise, be pivoted about the rivet. When this occurs manipulation ofthe tab may break the tab before rupture of the sheet metal occurs, orat the very best, the initiation of the severance of the sheet materialalong the line of weakness is made much more difficult.

The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive way in which tolock the tab against rotation about the rivet in the plane of the tab.This is accomplished by deforming a zone of the container wall intoengagement with a segment of the tabrThe deformed zone and the tabsegment cooperate to prevent pivotal movement of the tab about the rivetin the plane of the container wall.

A tab of the type which is usable with the present invention may includean attachment portion which is riveted to the tear portion and a tabbody which is attached to the attachment portion by a pliable connectingportion.

The zone of the container wall can advantageously be in the form of aprojection. The engagement between the projection and the tab does notinterfere with manipulation of the tab to initiate or continue severancetion. According to one practice of the present invention, the peripheraledge of the attachment portion has a peripheral cutout section intowhich the projection of the container wall is received. According to asecond practice of the present invention, the peripheral edge of theattachment portionhas a flat segment and the projection is in closeproximity to the flat segment to prevent tab rotation. With eitherpractice of the present invention, it is only necessary to provide asmall projection in the container wall.

The invention can best be understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanyingillustrativedrawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an easyopening container constructed in accordance with the teachings of thisin vention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken generally alongline 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a tab constructed in accordance with theteachings of this invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view of another form of easyopening container constructed in accordance with the teachings of thisinvention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken generally alongline 5-5 of FIG. 4.

I DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 3 shows a tab 11 whichincludes a tab body 13 and an attachment portion 15 integrally joined tothe tab body by a connecting wall 17. The attachment portion 15 has aperipheral edge 18 and an arcuate cutout or notch 19 formed in theperipheral edge. The tab 11 is preferably integrallyformed of sheetmaterial such as aluminum and the tab body 13 surrounds the attachmentportion 15. The tab body 13 defines an opening 21 sized to accommodatethe finger of a user. The tab body 13 is relatively longitudinally rigidand includes a lifting end 23 and a rupturing or nose end 25.

The tab body 13 has an inner reinforcing head or curl 27 and an outerreinforcing bead or curl 29 which is interrupted at the lifting end 23and at the nose end 25 by a rupturing flange 31. The outer bead 29 issevered along two lines to thereby free the sides of the flange 31 sothat it is connected to the remainder of the tab 11 only along the upperend thereof. The outer bead 29 also includes a double layer portion 33which supports the outer surface 35 of the connecting wall '17. Theouter bead 29 is cut along a radial line 37 at the nose end 25 asshown-in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an easy opening container wall 39 utilizing the tab11, it being understood that the tab 11 may be used with eacy openingcontainer walls of different construction than that illustrated in FIGS.1 and 2. The easy opening container wall 39 includes a can end 41 havinga peripheral attaching flange 43 for attaching the can end to acontainer body 45 (FIG. 2). The can end 41 is constructed of sheetmaterial such as aluminum and has a primary score line 47 thereindefining a panel 49 which is removable from the can end 41 upon completeseverance of the primary score line.

The panel 49 covers a major portion of the area in plan of the can end41 and has a secondary score line 51 therein closely adjacent and spacedradially inwardly from the primary score line 47. The secondary scoreline 51 constitutes an anti-fracture score which permits the segment ofthe panel 49 circumscribed thereby to flex if the container is droppedto thereby prevent such impact from rupturing the primary score 47.Except for a section 53 of the score line 51, the score line 51 isspaced a constant radial distance from the primary score line 47. Thus,except for the section 53, the secondary score line 51 is geometricallysimilar to the score line 47.

The tab 13 is attached to the panel 49 by a rivet 55 formed integrallywith the panel with the rivet 55 projecting through an aperture 57 ofthe attachment portion 15. The tab 11 is oriented radially of the panel49 with the lifting end 23 being at an inward position and with therupturing flange 31 overlying a location on the primary score line 47.Such orientation is maintained by a dimple or projection 59 integralwith the panel 49 which projects into the arcuate cutout 19 of the tab11. The panel 49 has an upstanding integral rib 61 to space the liftingend 23 above the panel.

With the construction shown in FIGS. 13, it is apparent that the tab 11cannot pivot about the rivet 55 in the plane of the tab. This is becausethe tab 11 is held not only by the rivet 21 but also by virtue of thecooperation between the notch 19 and the projection 59. In theembodiment illustrated, the notch 19 is in the form of an arcuate cutout and the projection 59 is correspondingly shaped. Of course, thenotch 19 and the projection 59 may be of any configuration which wouldconstitute an anti-rotation lock.

The tab 11 can be operated in a conventional fashion to remove the panel49. Specifically, the user moves the lifting end 23 of the tab 1 l awayfrom the panel 49. Because the tab body 13 islongitudinally rigid, itconstitutes a lever which pivots generally about the connecting portion17 relative to the attachment portion in response to elevation of thelifting end 23. It is apparent that the projection 59 and the notch 19in no way hinder or impede such pivotal movement of the tab body 13.

Such pivotal movement of the tab body 13 causes the rupturing flange 31to bear against the sheet material along the primary score line 47. Theforce exerted by the rupturing flange 31 eventually becomes sufficientto rupture the sheet material along the score line whereupon the usercan completely remove the panel 49 by exerting an outward pulling forceon the tab 11. The notch 19 and the projection 59 cooperate during tabmanipulation to cause the rupturing flange 31 to bear against apreselected location, i.e., the sheet material at or closely adjacentthe primary score line 47, but do not interfere in any way with tabmanipulation.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the inventionwherein corresponding parts are designated by corresponding referencecharacters followed by the letter a. The embodiment of FIG. 5 isidentical to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 in all respects notspecifically shown or described herein.

The tab 11 is identical to the tab lla except that the latter has nonotch 19 but rather has a flat peripheral edge portion 63 on theattachment portion 15a. The easy opening container wall 39 is identicalto the easy opening container wall 39a except that the latter has anelongated, straight dimple or bead or projection 65 in lieu of thecircular projection 59. The peripheral edge portion 63 and theprojection 65 cooperate with the rivet 55a to prevent pivotal movementof the tab 11a in the plane of the tab. In the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, the edge portion 63 and the longitudinal axis of theprojection 65 are perpendicular to the axis of the tab; however, theedge portion 63 and dimple 65 could be located in any position wherethey would cooperate with the rivet 55a to prevent rotation of the tab 11a in the plane of the tab. Similarly, the configuration of the edgeportion 63 and 'of the projection 65 could be varied without effectingthe antirotation function performed thereby.

The tab 11a operates in the same manner as the tab 11. The peripheraledge 63 and the projection 65 do not interfere with tab operation.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, many changes, modifications and substitutions may be made bythose having ordinary skill in the art without necessarily departingfrom the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. An easy opening container wall comprising:

a container wall of sheet material;

a line of weakness in said container wall defining a tear portion atleast partially removable from the container wall;

a tab including an attachment portion and a tab body joined to theattachment portion for pivotal movement relative thereto;

means for attaching said tab at said attachment portion to the tearportion so that the tab can be manipulated to initiate rupture of theline of weakness;

said attachment portion being constructed of sheet material and having aperipheral edge including an elongated substantially straight segment;and

said container wall having at least one elongated substantially straightbead in close proximity to the straight segment of said edge andcooperating therewith to retain said tab against pivotal move ment aboutsaid means for attaching in the plane of the tab.

2. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 wherein saidstraight region and the direction of elongation of the bead extendtransverse to the longitudinal axis of the tab.

2. An easy opening container wall as defined in claim 1 wherein saidstraight region and the direction of elongation of the bead extendtransverse to the longitudinal axis of the tab.